Be A Giver And A Taker

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By ROHINI RAJARATNAM

Being a successful giver means being helpful while not sacrificing your own goals.

– Adam Grant

Merriam-Webster defines the term ‘give-and-take’ as the practice of making mutual concessions. In other words, it involves compromising or reciprocating the circumstances we are in.

Wharton University of Pennsylvania professor Adam Grant, also author of Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, gives insight into the dichotomy of behavioural styles people adopt in pursuing success.

There are the takers which he explains as having a distinctive signature in that they like to get more than they give.

Takers tilt reciprocity in their own favour, putting their own interests ahead of others’ needs. In short, takers attempt to maximise profits and work solely for themselves.

The other group are called the givers, considered a relatively rare breed.

Givers tilt reciprocity in the other direction, preferring to give more than they get. They are more other-focused, paying more attention to what other people need from them.

Take, for example, someone who is willing to help others by making an introduction, giving advice or even imparting some knowledge without any strings attached.

However, there is also a third category, i.e. the matchers, and here is where majority of the population is categorised.

Matchers strive to preserve an equal balance of giving and getting. They operate on the principle of fairness, that is when they help others, they protect themselves by seeking reciprocity. It’s more of a tit-for-tat relationship.

According to the study by Grant, givers are considered the most successful.

Despite also representing most of the bottom tier after takers and matchers, givers who are wise enough to manage their time and efforts slowly find themselves at the top most tier.